If you spent any part of 2023 or 2024 glued to the "Scandoval" fallout, you probably saw the sleek, neon-lit cover of Single AF Cocktails popping up on your feed. It wasn’t just a quick cash grab. Honestly, it was a survival tactic. When the world found out that Ariana Madix’s partner of nine years had been having an affair with her friend, the narrative became public property. This book was her way of snatching it back.
It’s personal.
Ariana Madix didn't just dump a list of drink recipes into a PDF and call it a day. She structured the entire book like a breakup album, following the messy, non-linear path from the "Honeymoon Phase" to a section called "Ad Astra" (to the stars). It’s a 176-page middle finger to the idea that she couldn't succeed without her former partner's "creative input."
What Makes Single AF Cocktails Different From Fancy AF?
A lot of people forget that Ariana already had a book. Back in 2019, she co-authored Fancy AF Cocktails with her ex, Tom Sandoval. If you look back at the Vanderpump Rules episodes from that era, you’ll remember the tension. Tom basically steamrolled the project, insisting on being the "expert" even though Ariana was a classically trained bartender who’d worked at high-end spots like Butter in NYC.
The old book was a collaboration; the new one is a solo debut.
In the original book, the recipes were divided into "Classy" and "Trashy" sections. They were fun, sure, but they often required some truly obscure ingredients that made home bartending feel like a chemistry experiment. Single AF Cocktails feels more grounded. The recipes are still sophisticated, but they don't feel like they're trying quite so hard to impress a mixology snob.
She used this project to prove she didn't need a "director" for her vision. Every page feels like her voice, not a compromised version of it.
👉 See also: Why the Outdoor Art Club Mill Valley is Actually the Heart of the Town
The Narrative Structure: A Story in Five Acts
The book is cleverly categorized into relationship-inspired sections that mirror the stages of grief and recovery. It’s a bold move for a cookbook, but it works because the drinks actually match the moods.
- Honeymoon Phase: These are the "shimmering" early drinks. They're sweet, optimistic, and probably a little naive. Ariana admitted in interviews that this was actually the hardest part to write because she had to look back at a time that now feels like a lie.
- Betrayal: This is where the tone shifts. You start seeing drinks like "Rumors," which features dark crème de cassis that floats on top before slowly bleeding into the rest of the drink—a literal metaphor for how lies seep into a relationship.
- Devastation: These are the "burn it all down" drinks. Heavy hitters for when you're staring at the wall wondering what just happened.
- Resilience: The "rally your ride-or-die squad" phase.
- Ad Astra: The final chapter focused on moving forward and finding new love (shoutout to Daniel Wai).
There’s a drink in there called "Rat Poison." It uses four types of whiskey and Jägermeister. It’s designed to "rid yourself of spiritual vermin." It’s petty, it’s hilarious, and it’s exactly what the fans wanted.
The Ingredients: Can You Actually Make These?
One of the biggest complaints about celebrity cocktail books is that you need a $50 bottle of artisanal bitters that only exists in a specific shop in Brooklyn.
Madix mostly avoids this.
She includes a very helpful section on making your own flavored syrups. Most of these use ingredients you can find at a regular grocery store. For example, her "We Ride at Dawn" mezcal margarita is a powerhouse of a drink, but it doesn't require a master's degree in chemistry to assemble.
Why It Hit the New York Times Bestseller List
The book debuted at #10 on the NYT "Advice, How-To & Miscellaneous" list. That doesn't happen just because you're on a reality show. It happened because of the "Scandoval" vacuum. People were hungry for her side of the story, and since she was legally and contractually limited in what she could say on TV at the time, the book became the "tell-all" vessel.
Each drink has a "headnote"—a little introductory paragraph. These aren't just "this drink is refreshing!" blurbs. They are micro-essays. She talks about home ownership, the gut-punch of finding out about the affair, and the feeling of finally being able to breathe again.
The photography by Tawni Bannister also does a lot of the heavy lifting. It’s high-fashion, high-drama, and makes the book look more like a coffee table piece than something you’d keep in a messy kitchen drawer.
Practical Tips for Your Home Bar
If you're picking up a copy of Single AF Cocktails, don't just dive into the most complicated drink first. Here is how to actually get value out of it:
- Invest in a Good Shaker: A lot of these recipes rely on proper aeration. If you're still using a protein shaker, it's time to upgrade to a weighted Boston shaker.
- Master the Syrups: Don't skip the DIY syrup section. It’s the secret to why bar drinks taste "expensive" while home drinks taste like juice and vodka.
- Read the Stories First: Treat the first read-through like a memoir. The context of the "Betrayal" section makes the drinks taste... well, maybe not better, but certainly more meaningful.
- Batch the "Resilience" Drinks: If you're hosting a viewing party or a girls' night, many of these can be scaled up. Just do the math on the ratios before you start pouring.
Ariana has moved on to Broadway and hosting Love Island USA, but this book remains the definitive document of that specific, chaotic year in her life. It’s a reminder that even when everything is falling apart, you can still make a really good drink.
Check your local independent bookstore or major retailers for the hardcover edition. If you’re actually planning to cook/mix from it frequently, look for the spiral-bound versions that some boutique sellers offer; they stay open on the counter much easier than the standard hardcover. Start with the "We Ride at Dawn" margarita if you want a taste of the "new" Ariana—it’s bold, smoky, and doesn't apologize for being there.